How one atheist sees life

September 11 – Why it means anything at all

This year September 11 falls on a Sunday. Next year it will fall on a different day. In either case it is just another day. According to History.com there really isn’t very much interesting that happened on September 11th throughout history. Yeah, a few famous people did things around that day, but the 11th just isn’t very exciting. In fact, there is only one reason for anyone to treat that day any different from any other day. The terrorist attacks on the WTC, The Pentagon, and the crash of flight 93.

September 11 Is Another Global Day Of Dying

On September 11th, 2001 a total of 2,977 people died in the attacks. According to some reports, 18,000 people starve to death every day and that number is not likely to have gone down since 2008. The ratio? 1:6.046 ! Yes, On September 10th, this year alone, 6 people will starve to death for every person who died in the 9/11 attacks. SIX people. On 9/11/2011 six more people will die for every death in those attacks. On 9/12/2011 another 6 people will die for each death in the attacks. According to the CDC (2007 stats) 6640 people die in the USA each day. It is reported that on average, 2 people die each second across the globe.

So why exactly is anyone excited about September 11th? Are the deaths of those 2977 people more important than the 6 people who died while you read this sentence? Will prayers and religious celebrations on 9/11 do anything for the 18000+ people who will starve to death on September 11, 2011? Will religious services to remember those who died because of religious zealots save any of the starving people who still have a chance?

Make September 11 A Special Day If You Want

If September 11 seems like a special day to you, go ahead and make it a special day: Donate to help feed starving people who are still living. If it helps you, donate in the name of someone who died in the attacks. Hell, donate every month on the 11th, in anyone’s name. Check out this list of charities. Just don’t donate to religious charities. Remember it was religious zealotry that created 9/11. The world reacted wrongly to those attacks. Would you like proof of that? Check out this view of some of the deaths caused as a result of the reaction to those attacks.

Go Feed Someone

September 11 doesn’t mean anything at all. If it has meaning it is because you ascribe some meaning to it. If you want 9/11 to be special, go feed someone, help the living, remember the starving, fix the problems instead of fixating on what cannot be fixed in the past.

:: UPDATE ::

I hadn’t thought anyone would find this blog never mind read it and comment. One thoughtful person has done all three. I debated moderating their comment to allow it for some time before deciding that an update would be more useful.

The comment simply said: You’re a complete idiot! Enough said.

Clearly, to my mind this is not enough. I cannot determine if I’m thought an idiot because I care about starving people or perhaps it is that I’m thought an idiot because I don’t seem to care enough about those that died on 9/11. The Cult Of Dusty has a few words on this topic and I happen to agree with him completely. Our numbers are different, but both are estimates and both sets of numbers are unacceptable.

“Get over it” and move on with your life is the message. It’s the same message we expect thousands upon thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan families to ‘get’ and deal with. As gramps would say, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. They are dead and buried. Saddam and Bin Laden are dead and buried. Get over it. Move on. We have more pressing problems to deal with.